Hand preference, immune system disorder and cognitive function among gay/bisexual men: The multicenter aids cohort study (MACS)

doi:10.1016/0028-3932(92)90002-4

Neuropsychologia

Volume 30, Issue 3, March 1992, Pages 229-235

https://doi.org/10.1016/0028-3932(92)90002-4 Get rights and content

Abstract

This study evaluated the self-reported patterns of handedness among a large subsample (n = 1612) of the gay/bisexual men comprising the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS). There was a small but significant elevation in left-handedness among gay/bisexual men compared to available normative data. However, there were no differences within the cohort in measures of immune function, self-reported autoimmune disorders, asthma, or hay fever, although there was an association between handedness and allergy. Performance on neuropsychological tests also did not differ as a function of handedness.

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The study assessed views of teachers, pupils and their guardians on left-hand preference. Seventy-five percent of the responders indicated that the left hand should not be preferred for habitual activities and 87.6% of them indicated that left-handers should be forced to change the hand. Gender had significant effect on the view on left hand preference (df = 1, OR (odds ratio) = 0.465, p = 0.027). Giving a handshake when greeting a person, drawing and writing were the three top target activities against left-hand preference. An assumption that the left hand is less skilled and less powerful than the right one was the most common reason for negative view on left-hand use. Most of volunteers reported that parents and close relatives were the primary group of people who usually discourage left-hand use. Eighty point one percent of the responders indicated that people should stop preferring the left hand as soon as somebody noticed their left-handedness. The results indicated that cultural and environmental pressures might significantly affect visibility of left-handedness in urban Malawian populations.
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MACS Centers and Investigators: Pittsburgh—University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health: C. R. Rinaldo, J. T. Becker, P. Gupta, M. Ho, L. A. Kingsley, A. Winkelstein. Data Coordinating Center—Johns Hopkins School of Public Health: A. Munoz, S. Bass, V. Carey, L. P. Jacobson, S. Su, T. Nance-Sproson. Los Angeles—University of California Schools of Public Health and Medicine and the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center: R. Detels, B. R. Visscher, J. L. Fahey, D. Imagawa, J. V. Giorgi, J. Dudley, P. Nishanian, E. Miller, J. Taylor, M. Lee. Baltimore—Johns Hopkins School of Public Health: A. Saah, H. Farzadegan, R. Fox, J. Margolick, J. McArthur. Chicago—Howard Brown Memorial Clinic—Northwestern University Medical School: J.P. Phair, J. S. Chmiel, B. Cohen, K. Sheridan, S. Wolinsky. National Institutes of Health—National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases: S. Vermund, P. Fleming, W. C. Blackwelder, R. A. Kaslow, M. J. vanRaden; National Cancer Institute: I. Obrams.

Supported by the AIDS program of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and by the National Cancer Institute.

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Hand preference, immune system disorder and cognitive function among gay/bisexual men: The multicenter aids cohort study (MACS)☆

Abstract

Neuropsychologia

Neuropsychologia

Cortex

Cortex

Brain Cognit.

Neuropsychologia

A classification of hand preference by association analysis

Br. J. Psychol.

Comments on Lindesay: Laterality shift in homosexual men

Neuropsychologia

Age and cohort effects in adult handedness

Neuropsychologia

Left-handedness: Association with immune disease, migraine, and development learning disorder

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

Cerebral lateralization: Biological mechanisms, associations, and pathology: II. A hypothesis and a program for research

Arch. Neurol.